I read this book to my ballerina during a recent unit study of famous ballets. It was especially helpful to be able to read a shortened version of Swan Lake last month before going to see the professional ballet. There are ten stories in all.

Not only is this book full of stories of famous ballets, it also contains quite a bit of the history of ballet. We especially enjoyed the accompanying CD which contains the music from many of the ballets featured in this book.

I watched this movie several years ago, but we haven’t read the book yet. However, it is next on my list of read-alouds. I always enjoy reading the books more than I do watching the movie. I can’t wait to follow Pauline, Petrova, and Posy as each girl finds the courage to follow her dream.

I remember when my sweet girl was little, and one of her favorite cartoons was Angelina Ballerina. We read as many Angelina Ballerina books as we could find in our local library.

My sweetie discovered the Rainbow Magic Fairy Books in about the 2nd grade. She devoured them. I bought her the Dance Fairies series one year for Christmas. With books about jazz and tap and ballet and more, this series is sure to be a hit with any young dancer.

Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina is the story of a young girl raised on an Osage Indian reservation where girls are prohibited from dancing. Maria’s parents allow her to break the rules, and this story follows her journey which changes the face of classical ballet in America.

My ballerina thoroughly enjoyed Becoming a Ballerina: A Nutcracker Story. She read the entire story aloud to our dog. This story follows thirteen-year old Fiona on her journey to becoming Clara in the Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker. From her audition to her hours of hard work, backstage nerves to the thrill of being on stage, the stunning photography and a peek at the details involved in preparing for such an amazing experience.

On Your Toes: A Ballet ABC by Rachel Isadora is a lovely peek at different aspects of the ballet world from the studio to the stage. From technical terms {arabesque and grand jete} to famous ballets {Nutcracker and Firebird} to performance time {backstage and lipstick}, On Your Toes is beautifully illustrated and has a glossary in the back.

And, what dancer’s book collection is complete without a Nutcracker storybook or two. We add a new Nutcracker book to our Christmas book stack every year.

Tara Mitchell is a wife and mom to three beautiful children ages 19, 15, and 10. She enjoys reading, cooking/baking, and crafting. When she's not driving to and from her children's activities, you can find her blogging at This Sweet Life. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Facebook.

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